The Upper Perkiomen Chiefs 12U Baseball Team went 6-0 during pool play during a recent appearance in a tournament near the Baseball Hall of Fame in upstate New York. However, the Chiefs were eliminated in the opening round of the single elimination portion of the tournament at the Cooperstown Dreams Park. They lost 10-7 to the Olean (N.Y.) Oilers.

The team – which included players Isaac Bugman, Aidan Keyser, Zachary Mayza, Kyle Mazzie, Tristan Navarrete, Braden Rieg, Branden Rozanski, Tommy Saeger, Evan Sands, Mike Sharadin, Gavin Weiss, Dan Wertz and Owen Williams – coached by Jerry Mayza, Mike Rieg, Steve Niess and Jarod Sands, also competed in a skills competition in four events as part of the tournament's opening ceremonies on July 28. They finished second overall in the Around the Horn competition.

The Chiefs, one of 104 participating teams from the United States and Canada, opened pool play with a 6-2 win over the Wycoff (N.J.) Raiders. Sharadin, Weiss, Rieg and Mayza each homered during the game. Rieg picked up the win on mound. Aidan Keyser pitched the final 3 innings, striking out seven of the 10 batters he faced.

On Sunday, Sharadin hit two homers to lead his team to an 8-7 victory over the Prospect Training Academy, from, Wisconsin. Sharadin also earned the mound victory, while Weiss notched the save. The two hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning.

The following day, the Chiefs posted a pair of one-run victories. First, despite building an early 10-run lead, they rallied for a 19-18 victory over ProSwing Team Pride Select (NY). Mayza, Sharadin, Weiss, Rieg, Williams, Saeger and Navarrete each notched two hits during the four-hour game. Reig's grand slam in the sixth inning capped their offense outburst.

In the nightcap, they scored three-runs in their final at-bat to register a 10-9 victory. Navarrete's two-run hit capped the rally.

The Chiefs finished their 12-1 victory over the Rawlings Tigers, from Warren, Miss., on a triple play. Wertz picked up the mound win by pitching into the fifth inning. Mazzie finished the game on the mound. Saeger led the offense with 2 hits, including a home run.

They ended pool play with a convincing victory over the SLO Tigers of California. The Chiefs rallied for nine runs in the second inning. Sharadin, Weiss and Rieg delivered consecutive home runs during the victory.

Colin Ewing, Upper Perk's umpire representative in the tournament, worked home plate for the championship game. Engle has umpired in the tournament for 21 years.

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